LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – How much is too much when it comes to video games?
With the kids out of school for the summer, many are spending time behind the controls. Experts say now is the time to return the books.
Children benefit from a good routine. In the summer months, some of them get out of this habit and replace the free time with electronics. Doctors say parents should consider reducing screen time leading up to the new school years.
Anna Alaniz said her children love to play video games, but she insists on turning off the electronics and sending them outside to play. With school starting soon, she thinks removing the equipment will help them refocus.
“I definitely believe kids need to have a certain amount of time for their games,” Alaniz said. “I think with COVID that they just took it away from being in the school, in the classroom, so the kids felt a little more secure when they were in that school.”
“In general, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children in the United States get no more than two hours of screen time a day,” said Dr. Farhan Bhatti.
Bhatti is a pediatrician who is also on the Lansing School Board. He said if parents want their children to fail on the first day of school, now is the time to prepare.
“If the child is engaging in a lot of screen time throughout the summer and then they show up to school not doing any academic activities, they are at risk of falling behind when the school year starts,” Bhatti said. .
But it goes beyond getting children into the school system, Bhatti said it also affects their physical health.
“There is a clear line between the number of hours a child spends behind a screen and their risk of childhood obesity,” Bhatti said.
“He definitely just needs to be with other kids instead of the game,” Alaniz said.
Some health experts say that it is good to introduce educational or engaging video games, which can help children learn and solve problems. Some of the recommended games are “Minecraft”, the “Little Big Planet” games and the “Portal” series.
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